Wolverhampton & Dudley will be toasting its success

The brewer, which has over 1,600 pubs, will hold the keys to another 63 inns after buying Wizard.

Chief executive Ralph Findlay said the company wants to grow "geographically."

Adding Wizard's pubs will give it an expanded presence in the south of England and a greater mix of community pubs and unbranded bars.

Outlets

Wolverhampton & Dudley (W&D) operates 1,132 tenanted pubs in addition to the Pathfinder division, which includes the Pitcher & Piano, Bostin' Locals and Service That Suits Me chains.

W&D also brews the Pedigree, Banks's and Mansfield beers.

The new acquisition, Wizard, contains the last of the Nomura pub empire built up in the late 1990s by entrepreneur Guy Hands.

Most of the pubs are in London and south-eastern England and around half are High Street outlets. The remainder are community or neighbourhood pubs.